


corticaria

by bunshima



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Sequel, v soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2019-03-04 13:14:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13365456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunshima/pseuds/bunshima
Summary: “It’s nothing worth mentionin’, really-”, she begins, arms resting on his back, “-you know Karna, right?”“Mhm.”“He’s basically the reason why I was so late today. He asked me for advice.” There’s a short pause, as if a shiver would run down her back at the mere recollection of possible scenarios she had made up out of pure worry. “Love advice.” Euuuugh.“Go on.” His speech is so slurred that she suspects he might just fall back into deep slumber the moment she stops speaking to him. And she’s keeping him up with her bullshit. Poor thing.(alternatively: gudako is tired and dumps everything on her bf)





	corticaria

**Author's Note:**

> look whos back with a sequel to their fic! my first one got more attention than i wouldve thought and im really happy u ppl liked it!!! :00
> 
> disclaimer: no proofreading/betas, sequel to acraeini, gudako suffers this time, dia too, theyre cute

_ Ozymandias this, Ozymandias that; _ if Gudako had known that Karna could talk for an additional two hours on end if asked, she  **wouldn't** have. Her feet fall heavy as she makes her way down the corridor, neon lights dimmed in an half-assed attempt to simulate nighttime. A hand is brought up to rub at one of her eyes. Never had she suspected that she would be  _ giving love advice _ to her newest Lancer, out of all people. Well, at least he seems to have gotten used to how she treats her servants- as equals, as people. Her stomach isn't happy with the fact that she gave him even the last bit of her midnight feast; she just feels the need to feed him, especially when he's looking at her with those big, sad eyes (it might just be what his face is like, but that doesn't make it any less of an advantage on the weak-hearted). 

 

The muffled chatter on the habitat floor has died down by now, save for a few select individuals…  _ well, mostly Gilgamesh. _ Half the time Gudako can't tell if he's yelling at himself or someone else. A palm comes to rest upon her neck, carefully rubbing the skin. She's all sore from sitting too long. It feels like she had awakened a sleeping dragon, only that it tried to kill her by talking about its first crush. What  _ isn't _ she willing to do for her servants? 

 

A loud yawn leaves Gudako. Perhaps she should take some time for herself, but there's always so much to do- she can't possibly leave Mash alone to deal with everything. Once at her room, her thumb is pressed down on a small display beside the door. It slides open with a loud hiss that echoes through the narrow hallway, causing her to cringe. The last thing she wants to do is disturb the others. 

 

The lights in her room are off,  _ but not the ones in the bathroom. _ Childish glee builds up and Gudako almost wants to rub her hands together. With a short sprint she's in the small side room, **“Boo!”,** she exclaims-  _ but for no one to hear it.  _ All she gets in return is a look at herself in the mirror.  _ D’aw. _

 

Gudako huffs, bottom lip pushed forward; perhaps it’s for the best to get ready for bed. She brushes her teeth, but stops midway;  _ it’s almost like something moved in the other room.  _ With the toothbrush in her mouth, she peeks into the bigger bedroom with only her head sticking past the door frame.  _ Didn't the bed just creak? _ Is she having hallucinations from exhaustion?  _ Huh. _ She ain't even **that** tired to begin with. _ Ah, well. _ Once done with her teeth, she starts taking off her uniform down to the underwear mid-walk, hopping over to the bed as she’s getting rid of her tights. Gudako settles at the edge of her bed, arms stretching with popping joints. Little does she know that she just awakened yet another sleeping beast,  _ more ferocious than Karna could ever be. _

 

In a bout of inertia, she slumps in on herself, a sleepy-eyed look glued to the floor.  _ Alright, _ perhaps she  **is** tired enough to imagine things. Absentmindedly she pulls the scrunchie out of her hair and puts it aside. As sluggish as Gudako is, of course she doesn’t notice the movement behind her.

 

_ “‘Boo’ _ to you, too.” It’s only a sweet little whisper, huffed against the shell of her ear, yet it causes her to jump in surprise. It only gets worse when  _ ice cold _ arms wrap around her midriff.  _ Gudako could’ve sworn her spirits left her  _ **_right then and there._ ** A shiver bolts down her spine, shoulders raising in discomfort.  _ So, the bed  _ **_did_ ** _ creak earlier.  _ Damn, how could she not notice that man-sized blanket pile in bed? 

 

**“Christ,** Diarmuid-”, Gudako hisses as he rests his chin upon the crook of her neck; it’s just as cold as the rest of him. “-you’re  _ freezin’.” _ She attempts to twist in Diarmuid’s embrace to look at him, but all she really sees is a blanket cocoon, with locks of unruly hair sticking out in the front. Now that she thinks about it… _ it is pretty cold in here. _ “I thought you’d turn up the heatin’ or somethin’.” 

 

His body curls against hers, soft huffs fanning against the back of Gudako’s neck as he tries his best to get comfortable. “I fell asleep waiting for you.”, he mumbles with a pout so strong that it’s evident even in his voice. 

 

_ Ah, _ so  **that’s** why the lights were on in the bathroom. Mild guilt settles at her middle and a deep sigh makes her chest heave. “I’m sorry, hon.”

 

Diarmuid can be high maintenance, especially when he isn’t feeling too hot (which happens quite often; things of the past wear him down still, even after all this time). Lips press into a line and she begins to gently caress his arms around her waist.  _ Cursed be this pitiful, oversized puppy of a man.  _ He’s always so worried about his beauty mark, although he should think more on his puppy look- that works way better on her than his love spot; mages may be nearly immune to magic based charms,  _ but puppy eyes transcend spellcraft. _ His weight keeps growing and growing against her back, and she has to shake him back into reality gently.

 

“Oi, don’t fall asleep yet.”, Gudako says, patting his arm, “Do me a solid ‘nd unhook my bra for me.” Honestly, even for that she’s too lazy by this point. A gentle kiss is pressed to her shoulder, goose bumps spreading across it, and he shifts behind her without another word. All he needs is a single flick of two fingers, and Gudako can quite literally feel weights fall off her shoulders. However, she can’t help but snort in amusement, “Tch,  _ damn showoff.”  _

 

(He's better at opening bras than she is, which should be considered blasphemy in itself.)

 

Her bra is simply dropped in the floor to the rest of her clothes (what can she say; she's a messy person) and a bunched up shirt with the Chaldea logo on the front is pulled out from underneath her pillow. Once eventually ready for bed, Gudako pulls her legs up, sticking the cold limbs beneath the second blanket for warmth. Diarmuid has been practically preheating the bed in spite of how cold he is. She turns to him, and all she can vaguely make out is a set of eyes peering out of his cocoon, blanket wrapped around himself tightly. With enough gentle persuasion she manages to pry down his makeshift hood to reveal his face. Diarmuid’s bedhead is an absolute mess, even in the dark- and she proceeds to ruffle it some more, drawing a pleased little hum from him. 

 

One of her arms reaches back to turn on a light, embedded in the wall above the bed. Thank god it’s dim  _ and _ warm; Chaldea’s neon lights are rather bad on the eyes. Unsurprisingly, Diarmuid looks as tired as he sounds. Thanks to the light she can finally see his features and her gaze rests on a specific spot on his face right away, beneath his right eye: a little bandaid is taped over his much despised beauty mark. He looks away, almost ashamed, when he notices what she's looking at.  _ This only makes her feel worse- _ then again, it's hardly her fault that all her servants seem to be fighting their own demons of the past (or new demons, for that matter). It's in her best interest to be a good master and treat them with respect,  _ like people.  _

 

Her brows furrow as her hand reaches up to his face. Ever so subtly, Diarmuid shies away from her touch. This confirms her suspicion that he's caught in a low further. _Oh boy._ _“Hey-”_ She attempts to get his attention, and it works. Her gut twists at the fact that he literally looks at her like a kicked puppy. “-can I peel it off?”

 

“If you wish to do so, I will not object, master.”  _ Oh, come on. _

 

“This is ‘bout you, too.”, Gudako retorts, “If you don't want me to, I won't, Dia.” Diarmuid has a hard time understanding that  **_this_ ** is way past the type of relationship a master  _ usually  _ has with their servant. He remains loyal to his master until the bitter end, no matter what they do to him.  _ His own consent doesn't matter to him. _

 

For a moment, Diarmuid contemplates. It's clear that this isn't an easy choice for him to make, no matter how small of an obstacle this may seem to someone else. Silence reigns between them. Nervously, he begins to chew on his bottom lip as he dares to look at Gudako again, _ “You may.” _ It's not more than a soft whispers, only for Gudako to hear. 

 

Shifting on the mattress, Gudako carefully picks at the bandaid with her fingernails and peels it off before simply taping it on the bed’s headboard; she'll get rid of that in the morning. Her palm frames his cheek, thumb caressing his beauty mark with great care. Gudako could've sworn her she just could feel her heart melt the very moment Diarmuid leans into her touch, all shy and unsure. Warmth spreads beneath her fingers. He's so easily flustered;  _ how cute. _ She might combust at this point. It only gets worse from here on out. Unbeknownst to Gudako, she had given him a little smile, only noticing this when Diarmuid returns it and leaves her a blushing mess, just like him.  _ Cursed be this man and his irresistible charm _ (she isn't thinking of his beauty mark, but rather of him as an  _ individual).  _

  
  
  


Fueled by this moment they're sharing, Gudako shifts to stand on her knees, so that she may be on eye level with him. His blanket slides off him as his hands fold before his chest with the uncertainty of a teenager on the first date. A few strands of unruly hair are brushed behind his ear and Diarmuid makes an obvious (and futile) attempt at calming himself. Jeez, what a mess he is-  _ the perfect fit for Gudako. _ Her forearms come to settle upon his shoulders, hands folding behind his nape, and she leans in,  _ but only a bit. _ Keeping his comfort in mind, she has to ask, “Can I kiss you?”

 

The inquiry causes his breath to hitch within his throat, blush only deepening further. It brings her great personal joy to reduce the usually so suave servant to a miserable mess of feelings. Perhaps that's why she was so into teasing Karna too (a little sadism never hurt nobody). Despite the fact that Diarmuid is flustered beyond return, he keeps the eye contact between them. He takes his time with answering, but that's fine with her. 

 

“Y-yes, please.”, he whispers, tone soft and filled with adoration.  _ Just what she likes to hear.  _

 

She leans forward just a bit more, head tilting with Diarmuid mimicking her. The servant's eyes flutter shut as he waits in anticipation. Instead of doing what she asked for, Gudako takes a moment to admire the one before her. While one arm remains draped over his shoulder, her other hand carefully brushes over the side of his face, causing his features to soften. Her affections-  _ even her mere presence- _ is enough for Diarmuid to be able to finally relax. As much as she could simply look at him with longing in her eyes for the next thirty minutes or so,  _ there’s something better. _ When she eventually closes the distance between their lips, Diarmuid curls into her touch, as if seeking her warmth to mend the miserable pile that’s left of him.  _ Of course, _ he won’t just forget past experiences, but the chance to lay down all misery for even a few hours is something he doesn’t want to miss. The kiss they share is gentle,  _ chaste. _ While his hands remain pressed to his front in uncertainty over where to put them, hers have begun to play with amd comb through his hair, drawing a tiny hum from her companion. 

 

Soon enough Gudako has to break contact, eyes immediately locking onto the deep shade of red she managed to put on Diarmuid’s visage. And again, he notices her gaze right away. His sweaty hands hastily rush to cover his bashful expression in a futile attempt to save face- it’s not quite honorable for a proud knight to end up like this. She can’t help but chuckle at the display before her, a crooked grin curling her lips.  _ She’s mighty fond of her work.  _

 

“Was that too much?”, she asks, only half joking. As suave as he may appear (in the right angle and lighting, that is), Diarmuid is more on the  _ soft  _ side, hence why his love spot is rather considered a curse than a blessing by himself. 

 

With great hesitation, he puts down his hands, gaze averted for now. “N-no, not at all. I… I enjoyed it.  **A-a lot.”,** he begins to stammer with his voice at least an entire octave higher than before. “... May I have another?” There’s a hopeful glimmer in his eyes, accompanied by a tiny smile. As if she could  **ever** say no to that face. 

 

Without giving an answer, Gudako kisses him again without a pause and with a little more pressure this time instead. One of her hands had found his chin, fingers curled tight around his jaw and pulling him closer to her by his head. He seems to welcome her slightly fiercer approach, evident in a low hum within his chest. When she pulls away again, Gudako is greeted by a completely dazed Diarmuid, eyes unfocused and widened. “But now it’s time for bed.”, she grumbles at him, “I at least need to be able to  **act** like I’m well-rested  _ even if I’m not.” _ With that, she slips underneath the second blanket, twisting her arm in a quite painful-looking way to turn off the lights, leaving Diarmuid to himself. Though, that doesn’t last for long.

 

Once she had gotten comfortable, the other shifts upon the mattress, lying down at her side- _ with his face on her bosom and a leg draped over hers lazily. _ He lies down like this in the dark since it looks very undignified in neon (she wishes she could take a picture of it someday, but he only takes naps when she’s busy). For a moment, it’s silent. She’s all too familiar with this,  _ too. _ Diarmuid is waiting for her. A soft sigh causes her nostrils to flare and Gudako begins to run her hand through his hair which earns her yet another pleased hum. Her hands don’t even cramp up anymore when playing with Diarmuid’s hair for too long-  _ he is so very, very needy (and, right now, heavy).  _

 

Now that Gudako’s all settled in, you’d think she’d be able to drift off, right?  **_Wrong._ **

 

Instead, now that her boyfriend seems to be sleeping soundly already, her mind goes right back to Karna. She wish she could’ve given him better advice than to do what he thinks is best. Absent-minded, her fingers keep brushing through Diarmuid’s locks, occasionally scratching his scalp gently; who  _ wouldn’t _ be lulled into deep sleep right away when someone’s playing with their hair like that?  _ At least he isn’t cold anymore. _ Eyes are glued to the ceiling as Gudako ponders. How did she get into her own relationship in the first place? Suddenly, embarrassment boils in her midriff.  _ She fucking forgot.  _ Not that it’d work anyway-  _ Diarmuid and Ozymandias are worlds apart, _ in both personality and (likely) tastes. Karna has to do this on his own, but-  _ goddamnit. _ Her brows furrow and jaw clenches, entire frame tensing beneath the servant’s weight. She’s stuck envisioning some serious bad case scenarios, bathing in pure secondhand embarrassment. _ Why must Karna be as socially inept as he is? _ Subconsciously, Gudako **scoffs.**

 

This has the potential to turn out pretty bad, especially when she considers how Ozymandias can be… though, it should tickle his ego to know that a divine entity like Karna would develop such a strong liking for him.  _ Eugh, why can’t this be easier?  _ Her free hand is brought up to pinch the bridge of her nose, eyes squeezing shut for a mere moment. She’ll ask Diarmuid in the morning (of course, she’s foolish enough to think her beloved has more experience than she does; a guy who manages to open a bra with a single flick of two fingers  **must** have experience with actual dating, right?). Fatigue tears at her and yet,  _ yet _ she finds herself unable to rest. She'd toss and turn if she could.  _ If only- _

 

“You’re restless.”, comes the drowsy murmur from Diarmuid.

 

_ Goddamnit.  _ **_She woke him up._ ** At this rate she's going to fall into a pit of self-loathing- it's almost like that time she accidentally stepped on Fou’s tail and forgot to apologize for it. Her chest heaves with a deep inhale and she can't help but groan in discomfort as Diarmuid shifts on top of her while scooting closer and burying his head at the crook of her neck. Gudako doesn't even need a blanket anymore; Diarmuid is doing a very good job at pretending to be one. 

 

For a while, it's dead quiet. Gudako doesn't reply to his statement of the obvious and starts caressing his back. Perhaps it's a desperate attempt at making him go back to sleep so she doesn't need to unload this…  _ minor mess _ on him. Much to her disdain, Diarmuid isn't that easy to get rid of; once he notices something is up, his worry knows no bounds. 

 

“Would you like to tell me about it?” His voice could barely even be considered such- it's more of a tired purr now, right next to her ear. “After you have listened to my troubles countless times, I wish to provide the same kind of help to you.”

 

Well, at least he seems to be getting the gist of this master-servant relationship thing. _Slowly,_ but that's better than not at all. She had lost count of the times where he would tell her that **_this_** _is one_ _nerve-wracking experience_ _for him-_ pursuing a romantic relation with his master had always been a taboo to him, or something along the lines. But to be honest, Gudako can’t blame him. Although his compassionate nature is usually to her liking, _she’d wish he’d just let her sleep._ However… she knows what awaits her in the morning: sad puppy eyes, general worry, and an unreasonably distressed boyfriend. _So, in short, there’s no way around this._

 

“It’s nothing worth mentionin’, really-”, she begins, arms resting on his back,  _ “-you know Karna, right?” _

 

_ “Mhm.” _

 

“He’s basically the reason why I was so late today. He asked me for advice.” There’s a short pause, as if a shiver would run down her back at the mere recollection of possible scenarios she had made up out of pure worry.  _ “Love advice.”  _ **_Euuuugh_ ** **.**

 

_ “Go on.” _ His speech is so slurred that she suspects he might just fall back into deep slumber the moment she stops speaking to him. And she’s keeping him up with her bullshit.  _ Poor thing. _

 

“He said he got a crush on… _uh,_ Rider- _y’know, tall, dark, handsome..._ **_loud as all hell.”_** Perhaps Karna shouldn’t crush on someone whose defining traits can be presented in such a bad light; it’d definitely make this easier. “I let him eat my food ‘nd couldn’t even help him right, other than lettin’ him rant to me ‘bout how hot he thinks he is.” There’s a whine in her voice. Gudako didn’t need to know some of the things Karna had told her, but if listening helps a good friend of hers, she’s willing to do it.

 

Her words seem to pique his interest,  _ but in a bad way, _ “Isn’t he with Archer-  _ as in, _ they’re rather close friends?” Diarmuid uses ‘Archer’ out of habit, when it’s actually about  _ Caster. _ That aside, it’s clear that this realization brings up some negative emotions. “I can see why you’re restless about this; _ it sounds like a bad idea.” _ Caster Gilgamesh isn’t  _ that _ bad of a guy, but together with Ozymandias, it’s  **different.** Well... at the end of the day, they’re still no more than a bunch of chaotic idiots with inflated egos  _ (not that that’s any consolation). _

 

A deep sigh leaves Gudako. “... I know this is…  **_real_ ** awkward but, like, do  _ you _ remember how we got together? I don’t really remember.” Possibly a risky question,  _ but she’s a risk-prone person. _ “My memory is so bad, I’m sorry.”

 

For an entire minute, there’s nothing but awkward silence around them except a grunt from Diarmuid, which drives Gudako nuts. She shouldn’t have asked. _What if she hurt his feelings with that?_ **_However,_** her anxiety is completely without reason. “Perhaps you should ask me in the early hours... I can’t seem to be able to remember, either.” And with that, his face is buried in her bosom, likely in deep shame.

 

_ “Ugh, fuck this.”, _ she growls under her breath. It seems Karna will have to wait until she comes up with something other than ‘just talk to him, you dumbass!’.

 

For a last time, Diarmuid rolls his head to the side, so he may speak without being muffled, “That’s a gem for my swear jar, dear.” He’s awfully cocky for someone who sounds like they’ve been given strong sedatives.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!!! (kudos + comments appreciated :>)


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